Article support

ABSTRACT

An apertured article support board for use with article support brackets of the type having a front board engaging member and upwardly extending hook members for engaging the rear side of the board, the board having rows of apertures spaced apart to receive the hook members with each aperture having a vertical leg dimensioned to allow passage of the upright portions of the hook members therethrough and a downwardly and laterally extending leg portion at the lower end of the vertical leg portion to allow the hook members to be shifted laterally and downwardly to a position underlying the rear side of the board at one side of the apertures. The apertures can conveniently have a third leg portion extending laterally and downwardly from the lower end of the vertical leg portion to allow the hook members to be shifted to a position underlying the rear side of the board at the other side of the apertures.

Unite States Patent 1191 Orlandi 1 1 Nov. 26, 1974 ARTICLE SUPPORT Arthur A. Orlandi, Rockford, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Commercial Wire and Display Prod.

Corporation, Rockford, Ill.

[22] Filed: June 1, 1973 [21] Appl. No; 366,132

[75] Inventor:

[52] U.S. Cl 248/223, 248/DIG. l [51] Int. Cl. Fl6m 13/00 [58] Field of Search 248/73, 223, 224, 225, 248/DIG. 3

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,242,441 10/1917 111115 248/224 x 3.070.339 12/1962 Schayer v. 248/DIG. 3 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 134,752 3/1952 Sweden 248/223 Primary E.raminer-William H. Schultz Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Morsbach & Pillote [57] ABSTRACT An apertured article support board for use with article support brackets of the type having a front board engaging member and upwardly extending hook members for engaging the rear side of the board, the board having rows of apertures spaced apart to receive the hook members with each aperture having a vertical leg dimensioned to allow passage of the upright portions of the hook members therethrough and a downwardly and laterally extending leg portion at the lower end of the vertical leg portion to allow the hook members to be shifted laterally and downwardly to a position underlying the rear side of the board at one side of the apertures. The apertures can conveniently have a third leg portion extending laterally and downwardly from the lower end of the vertical leg portion to allow the hook members to be shifted to a position underlying the rear side of the board at the other side of the apertures.

' 13 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEL NOV 26 I974 3.850.396 SHEET 10F 2 PATENU-g, zravzslsm sum 2 BF 2 wwww I ww

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is common practice to use apertured boards with article support brackets of the type having a front board engaging portion and a pair of upwardly extending hooks offset rearwardly from the front board engaging portion to engage the rear side of the apertured board. Such apertured boards usually have round apertures and the hook portions are inserted through the round apertures by tilting the hook members to a generally horizontal position to allow insertion of the hooks through the apertures, after which the hook members are pivoted to a position in which the hook members extend upwardly from the apertures at the rear side of the board. When the article support portion of the brackets is rigidly connected to the hook members, it is necessary to have'sufficient overhead clear-- ance above the rows of apertures to allow the article support brackets to be swung to a generally upright position. Difficulties are accordingly encountered when an attempt is made to insert and remove such rigid type article support brackets through round apertures in a pegboard if there is limited overhead clearance above the row of apertures to be utilized, due either to an overhead abutment or to other article support brackets or hanging articles in the region above the row of apertures. In an effort to overcome the above problems, it has heretofore been proposed, for example as disclosed in the US. Pat. to D. R. Thalenfeld No. 3,289,993, dated Nov. 24, 1965, to pivotally connect the hook members to the article support portions of the brackets in a manner to allow the hook members to be swung relative to the article support portions to a generally horizontal position so that the hook members can be inserted through the round apertures and thereafter moved relative to the article support portions of the brackets to a generally vertical position for anchoring the article support bracket to the apertured board. However, such article support brackets having movable board engaging hooks are more expensive to manufacture and more complicated to install on the apertured board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apertured article support board for use with article support brackets of the type having a front board engaging member and rearwardly offset upwardly extending hook members, the article support board having rows of apertures each formed with a vertical leg portion having a height and width corresponding to the upwardly extending portions of the hook members to allow passage of the hook members therethrough. and the apertures each have a laterally and downwardly inclined leg portion at the lower end of the vertical portion dimensioned to allow the hook members and bracket to be shifted laterally and downwardly to a position in which the upwardly extending portions of the hook member underlie the rear side of the board at one side of the vertical leg portion of the apertures. The apertures can be formed with a third laterally and downwardly inclined leg portion at the lower end of the vertical leg portion to allow the hook members to be shifted laterally to a position underlying the rear side of the board at the other side of the vertical leg portion of the apertures.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved apertured apertured board for use with article support brackets of the type having a front board engaging portion and upwardly extending hook members rearwardly offset from the front board engaging portion, which enables installation and removal of the article support brackets from the apertured pegboard in areas having a low overhead clearance.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apertured apertured board on which the article support brackets can be installed and removed while articles are loaded on the support brackets.

' A more particular object of this invention is to provide an apertured apertured board in which hook type article support brackets can be inserted and removed from the apertures in the board without tilting the support brackets and then shifted to a locked position without change inthe attitude of the bracket relative to the apertured board.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apertured board which reduces the hook receiving clearance required at the rear side of the board.

These, together with other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a display unit embody.- ing the apertured board and brackets of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane 2-2 of FIG. I and illustrating an article support bracket mounted on the board, on a larger scale than FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the plane 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded view in perspective illustrating installation of an article support bracket on the apertured board;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating one corner of the apertured board construction of FIG. 1, and on a larger scale than FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating one corner of a modified form of apertured board embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating one corner of a further modified form of apertured board embodying the present invention.

The apertured board 10 can be mounted on any suitable support surface such as a wall or display unit shown at 11 in FIG. 1. Such display units can be of the stationary type illustrated, or a revolving type, if desired. The apertured board 10 can be formed of any suitable material such as composition board, usually having a thickness of between one-eighth and onefourth inches. sheet metal, plastic and the like, and the apertured board has a plurality of apertures 12 arranged in generally horizontal rows, as best shown in FIG. 1. As is customary, the apertured board is mounted with its rear side spaced from the wall or other support to allow clearance at the rear side of the apertured board for receiving the hooks of article support brackets. The apertured board is particularly adapted for use with article support brackets such as shown at 13 of a type commonly used with round hole type apertured board, and which include a front board engaging member 14 and a pair of laterally spaced upwardly extending hook members 15 offset rearwardly from the front board engaging member to engage the rear side of the apertured board. As is common practice, the hook members 13 are formed from wire, sheet metal, plastic or the like and have an elongated article support portion 13a that terminates in an upwardly extending retainer finger 13b (FIGS. 1 and 3). The rear end of the wire is bent downwardly to form the aforedescribed front board engaging member 14. The hook members 15 are rigidly secured to the article support bracket and are conveniently formed of round wire rod bent to form a bull horn of generally U-shaped configuration including a crosspiece l6 usually rigidly secured as by welding or the like to the article support bracket, and the aforedescribed hook members 15 extending rearwardly and upwardly from the cross member. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the hook members 15 have a shank portion 15a that extends rearwardly from the cross member 16, and upwardly extending finger portions 15b that are offset rearwardly from the front board engaging member 14 a distance at least equal and preferably greater than the thickness of the apertured board 10 to engage the rear side of the apertured board.

When used with conventional round hole type apertured board, it is necessary to tilt the article support members upwardly until the article engaging fingers extend generally horizontally so that they can be inserted through the conventional round hole apertured board.

The necessity of swinging such conventional article support members upwardly, during insertion and removal from conventional apertured board, inhibits the use of such support members in areas of the apertured board in which there is a low overhead clearance such as caused by the overhead portion 11a of the display rack shown in FIG. 1. Moreover, other article support members or the articles supported thereon which over lie the apertures being utilized to mount the hangers, can also cause interference with installation and removal of such article support brackets from the conventional round hole apertured board.

In accordance with the present invention, the taper tures 12 in the apertured board are formed so as to allow passage of the hook members on the article support brackets therethrough while the hook members are on a generally upright position, and the brackets are thereafter shifted without changing the attitude of the brackets to a position in which the hook members engage the rear side of the board. As best shown in FIGS. 3. 4 and 5, the apertures 12 each have a vertical leg portion 12a having a height and width only slightly greater than the height and width of the generally upright fingers 15b on the hook members to closely receive the fingers 1512 on the hook members 15, when the fingers are in an upright position. The apertures also have a second leg 12b extending laterally and downwardly at an acute angle to the vertical a distance greater than the width of the fingers 15b on the hook portions. to allow the hook members to be shifted laterally and downwardly to a position in which the fingers underlie the rear side of the board alongside the upright legs 12a as shown in FIG. 2. The laterally and downwardly inclined leg portions 12b of the apertures are preferably formed with a width W (FIG. 2) in the region adjacent their juncture with the lower end of the upright leg portions 120 which is substantially equal to the cross-section ofthe shank portions 15a of the hook members, the cross-section of the shank portions 15a of the hook members. so as to snugly engage the shank portions of the hook members as they pass the region W and the legs 12b taper outwardly in a direction toward their outer end to a size to loosely receive the shank portions of the hook members. Thus, the hook members can be inserted through the vertical leg portions 12a of the apertures and the hook members and article support bracket thereafter shifted laterally and downwardly until the fingers 15b underlie the rear side of the board. The clearance between the shank portions 15a of the hook members and the outer ends 120 of the legs 12b allows the hook members to shift relative to the apertured board until the fingers 15b on the hook members engage the rear side of the board as best shown in FIG. 3. The constricted area indicated by the arrows designated W in FIG. 2 adjacent the juncture of the leg 12b with the leg 12a, restricts movement of the shank portion and inhibits accidental dislodgement of the article support brackets from the apertured board. Moreover, since the legs 12b are inclined laterally and downwardly, they are gravitationally urged to their locked position by the weight of the article support brackets and the articles carried thereby. In order to facilitate guiding of the brackets into the leg portions 1212, the apertures 12 can be rounded slightly at the juncture of the leg portions 1217 with the upright leg portions 12a, as indicated at X and Y in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The apertures 12 in the apertured board are spaced horizontally apart along the rows a distance equal to the spacing of the hook members on the article support member, or a submultiple thereof if desired, to enable substantially universal positioning of the article support brackets on the apertured board. In the embodiment shown, the hook members on the article support bracket are spaced apart one inch and the apertures 12 in the apertured board are spaced apart horizontally on one-half inch centers. With the generally J-shaped apertures shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, the apertures are preferably arranged with their vertical leg portions in alignment, as best shown in FIG. 5. With the generally .I-shaped apertures, the laterally and downwardly extending legs of the apertures in each row are preferably directed in the same direction relative to the respective vertical leg portions, so that the hook portions of the article support brackets can be inserted in any selected pair of apertures in a row and then shifted laterally and downwardly to a locked position. The laterally and downwardly extending legs in vertically adjacent rows of apertures can all extend in the same direction, as shown in FIG. 5. However, if desired to modify appearance, the laterally and downwardly extending leg portions of the apertures in vertically adjacent rows can be arranged in relatively different directions.

A apertured board having a modified form of aperture designated 32 is shown in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, a apertured board 30 is formed with apertures 32 having a vertical leg portion 32a and a laterally and downwardly inclined leg portion 32b similar to that described at 12a and 12b in connection with the previous embodiment. In this embodiment, however, the apertures are also provided with a third leg portion 320 which extends laterally and downwardly from the lower end of the upright leg portion 32a at the side opposite the leg portion 32b, so that the hook portions 15 of the article support brackets can be shifted laterally and downwardly to either one side or the other of the vertical leg portion 32a. Thus, the form of the apertures 32 shown in FIG. 6 allows the article support brackets to be positioned at either of two horizontally spaced positions. The form of aperture shown in FIG. 6 allows the use of one-half the number of apertures utilized with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, while yet providing the same number of positions at which the article support bracket can be mounted. In particular, the outer ends of the leg portions 32b and 320 of the apertures 32 are arranged to support the shank portions of the hook members in two horizontally spaced positions that are spaced apart a distance approximately one-half the spacing between the center lines of the vertical leg portions 32a of adjacent apertures. For example, ifleg portions 32a of the apertures are positioned on one-inch centers, the leg portions 32b and 320 are arranged to support the hook members on one-half inch centers so that the article support brackets can be mounted on the apertured board at one-half inch centers.

in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the apertures 32 have the shape of an inverted Y and the adjacent rows are shown arranged with the vertical leg portions 32a of the apertures in alignment. If desired to modify the appearance and to also interrupt the line of weakness formed by the apertures, the generally inverted Y- shaped apertures can be arranged as shown in the board 30' in FIG. 7 with the apertures 32' in one row front board engaging member a distance to engage the rear side of the board, the board having horizontal rows of apertures arranged so that selected pairs of said apertures in each row are laterally spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of the hook members on the article support brackets, the improvement wherein each aperture in at least one row of said apertures has a vertical leg portion of a width and height closely corresponding to the width and height of said generally upright finger portions on the hook members to allow passage of the finger portions therethrough while in an upright position, each aperture of said one row of apertures having a second leg portion inclined laterally and downwardly from the lower end of said vertical leg portion of the respective aperture at an acute angle to the vertical to a location laterally offset to one side of the positioned to have their vertical leg portions 32a offset from the vertical leg portions of the apertures in the next adjacent row a distance equal to one-half the center line spacing between the vertical leg portions. This provides a different appearance and, as will be seen, interrupts the line of weakness formed by the apertures 32'.

The article support brackets 13 can have various configurations to adapt the same for different articles. In the form shown at 13, the brackets have a single article support arm 13a adapted to extend throughapertures in packages or similar articlesdesignated P as shown in H6. 3. It is deemed apparent, however, that the article support brackets can he of various different configurations and may, for example, have plural article support arms or article supports in the form of panels or racks. One modified form is shown at 13 in FIG. 1, and has vertically spaced pairs of upper and lower upwardly extending hook members 15 conveniently formed similar to the previously described hook members 1S and which are interconnected by an article support rack 13a. This arrangement provides multiple pairs of hooks for supporting the article support brackets 13' and, additionally, lower hook members 15' also function to lock the lower end of the article support bracket to the apertured board so as to prevent upward swinging movement of the support bracket relative to the board.

The embodiments ofthe invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An apertured board for use with article support brackets of the type having a front board engaging member adapted to engage the front side of the apertured board. and at least one pair of laterally spaced hook members each having a shank portion extending rearwardly from the front board engaging member and a generally upright finger portion extending upwardly from the shank portion and offset rearwardly from the vertical leg portion a distance greater than the width of said generally upright finger portions of the hook members, said second leg portion having a width sufficient to allowpassage of said shank portions of the hook members therealong while the finger portions of the hook members are in a generally upright position.

2. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein said second legs are inclined at an angle of about 45 to the vertical.

3. An apertured pegboard according to claim 1 wherein said second legs have a width adjacent said generally upright leg portion of the respective aperture substantially equal to the width of said shank portions of the hook members to snugly receive the same and said second leg portions have a width adjacent their outer end sufficiently larger than said shank portions of the hook members to loosely receive the same.

4. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein said second legs are relatively shorter than said upright legs of the respective aperture.

5. An apertured board accordingto claim 1 wherein said second legs have a. width adjacent said generally upright leg portion of the respective aperture to snugly receive said shank portions of the hook members and said second leg portions taper outwardly in a direction toward the outer end thereof to loosely receive said shank portions at said outer ends of the second leg portions.

6. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein the apertures in said one row are spaced apart a submultiple of the spacing of the hook members on the article support brackets.

7. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein said apertures in said one row of apertures having a third leg portion inclined laterally and downwardly from the lower end of the vertical leg portion of the respective aperture at an acute angle to the vertical to a location laterally offset to the other side of the vertical leg portion a distance greater than the width of said generally upright finger portions of the hook members, said third leg portions having a width sufficient to allow passage of said shank portions of the hook members therealong while the finger portions of the hook members are in a generally upright position.

the center lines of the vertical leg portions of two adjacent apertures in said one row.

9. An apertured board according to claim 8 wherein the apertures in vertically adjacent horizontal rows of apertures have the vertical leg. portions thereof relatively horizontally offset a distance equal to one-half the spacing between adjacent apertures.

10. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein the apertures in vertically adjacent horizontal rows of apertures have the vertical leg portions thereof in vertical alignment.

11. An article support comprising, in combination:

a. an article support bracket having a front board engaging member adapted to engage the front side of a apertured board and at least one pair of laterally spaced hook members each having a shank portion extending rearwardly from the front board engaging member and a generally upright finger portion extending upwardly from the shank portion and offset rearwardly from the front board engaging member;

b. a aperturecl board having a horizontal row of apertures arranged so that selected pairs of apertures in each row are laterally spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of the hook members on the article support brackets, each aperture having a vertical leg portion of a width and height closely corresponding to the width and height of the up-,

right finger portions on the hook members to allow passage of the finger portions therethrough while in an upright position, eachaperture having a second leg portion inclined laterally and downwardly from the lower end of said vertical leg portion of the respective aperture at an acute angle to the vertical to a location laterally offset to one side of the vertical leg portion a distance greater than the width of said upright finger portions of the hook members, said second leg portions having a width sufficient to allow passage of said shank portions of the hook members therealong while the finger portions are in an upright position.

12. An article support according to claim 11 wherein said shank portions have a generally circular crosssection.

13. An article support according to claim 11 wherein said apertures have a third leg portion inclined laterally and downwardly from the lower end of the vertical leg portion of the respective aperture at an acute angle to the vertical to a location laterally offset to the other side of the vertical leg portion a distance greater than the width of the upright finger portions of the hook members, said third leg portions having a width sufficient to allow passage of said shank portions of the hook members therealong while the finger portions of the hook members are in a generally upright position. 

1. An apertured board for use with article support brackets of the type having a front board engaging member adapted to engage the front side of the apertured board, and at least one pair of laterally spaced hook members each having a shank portion extending rearwardly from the front board engaging member and a generally upright finger portion extending upwardly from the shank portion and offset rearwardly from the front board engaging member a distance to engage the rear side of the board, the board having horizontal rows of apertures arranged so that selected pairs of said apertures in each row are laterally spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of the hook members on the article support brackets, the improvement wherein each aperture in at least one row of said apertures has a vertical leg portion of a width and height closely corresponding to the width and height of said generally upright finger portions on the hook members to allow passage of the finger portions therethrough while in an upright position, each aperture of said one row of apertures having a second leg portion inclined laterally and downwardly from the lower end of said vertical leg portion of the respective aperture at an acute angle to the vertical to a location laterally offset to one side of the vertical leg portion a distance greater than the width of said generally upright finger portions of the hook members, said second leg portion having a width sufficient to allow passage of said shank portions of the hook members therealong while the finger portions of the hook members are in a generally upright position.
 2. An apertured board acCording to claim 1 wherein said second legs are inclined at an angle of about 45* to the vertical.
 3. An apertured pegboard according to claim 1 wherein said second legs have a width adjacent said generally upright leg portion of the respective aperture substantially equal to the width of said shank portions of the hook members to snugly receive the same and said second leg portions have a width adjacent their outer end sufficiently larger than said shank portions of the hook members to loosely receive the same.
 4. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein said second legs are relatively shorter than said upright legs of the respective aperture.
 5. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein said second legs have a width adjacent said generally upright leg portion of the respective aperture to snugly receive said shank portions of the hook members and said second leg portions taper outwardly in a direction toward the outer end thereof to loosely receive said shank portions at said outer ends of the second leg portions.
 6. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein the apertures in said one row are spaced apart a submultiple of the spacing of the hook members on the article support brackets.
 7. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein said apertures in said one row of apertures having a third leg portion inclined laterally and downwardly from the lower end of the vertical leg portion of the respective aperture at an acute angle to the vertical to a location laterally offset to the other side of the vertical leg portion a distance greater than the width of said generally upright finger portions of the hook members, said third leg portions having a width sufficient to allow passage of said shank portions of the hook members therealong while the finger portions of the hook members are in a generally upright position.
 8. An apertured board according to claim 7 wherein the lengths of said second and third legs are equal and such that the difference in the horizontal positions of the hook members when positioned at the outer ends of the second and third legs of one aperture is substantially equal to one-half the horizontal spacing between the center lines of the vertical leg portions of two adjacent apertures in said one row.
 9. An apertured board according to claim 8 wherein the apertures in vertically adjacent horizontal rows of apertures have the vertical leg portions thereof relatively horizontally offset a distance equal to one-half the spacing between adjacent apertures.
 10. An apertured board according to claim 1 wherein the apertures in vertically adjacent horizontal rows of apertures have the vertical leg portions thereof in vertical alignment.
 11. An article support comprising, in combination: a. an article support bracket having a front board engaging member adapted to engage the front side of a apertured board and at least one pair of laterally spaced hook members each having a shank portion extending rearwardly from the front board engaging member and a generally upright finger portion extending upwardly from the shank portion and offset rearwardly from the front board engaging member; b. a apertured board having a horizontal row of apertures arranged so that selected pairs of apertures in each row are laterally spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing of the hook members on the article support brackets, each aperture having a vertical leg portion of a width and height closely corresponding to the width and height of the upright finger portions on the hook members to allow passage of the finger portions therethrough while in an upright position, each aperture having a second leg portion inclined laterally and downwardly from the lower end of said vertical leg portion of the respective aperture at an acute angle to the vertical to a location laterally offset to one side of the vertical leg portion a distance greater than the width of said upright finger portions of the hook members, said Second leg portions having a width sufficient to allow passage of said shank portions of the hook members therealong while the finger portions are in an upright position.
 12. An article support according to claim 11 wherein said shank portions have a generally circular cross-section.
 13. An article support according to claim 11 wherein said apertures have a third leg portion inclined laterally and downwardly from the lower end of the vertical leg portion of the respective aperture at an acute angle to the vertical to a location laterally offset to the other side of the vertical leg portion a distance greater than the width of the upright finger portions of the hook members, said third leg portions having a width sufficient to allow passage of said shank portions of the hook members therealong while the finger portions of the hook members are in a generally upright position. 